Dear Commissioner Campbell,
I am writing you this e-mail, and I am also sending you a hard copy by way of snail mail concerning the medical care of Patrick Swiney. Patrick was told by the doctors he needed an evaluation and treatment by a cardiovascular surgeon in April of 2005. I am hoping you can make sure the contracted medical provider(PHS) performs the job they were contracted to do. I am not a doctor, but heart problems run in my family. My mother died from it and my 31 year old son recently had heart surgery. It is not the kind of thing you can wait on, even in regular settings. It must be extremely frustrating and frightening in the prison setting where medical care has never been the greatest.
When you became the commissioner, one of the first things you did was to get rid of Naphcare because they were not performing their duties. I was elated at that. Now I find that many of the same people remain on staff and that is not good. We changed the provider but not the staff. We may as well have kept Naphcare. Medical care in prisons has become a national focus. We recently sponsored a National March www.journeyforjustice.org and the main topic there was the inadequate medical care given or I should say, "not given" in prisons.
When you took your position I was filled with so much hope that finally we had a person who would at least listen to the people and not treat family members as if they themselves were inmates. You were very good at responding to the people and for that I am grateful. On September 23 of this year I will speak before the Congressional Black Caucus along with Rev. Jesse Jackson. One of the issues I will address is medical care in Americas prisons. I ask you as a human being and an official with the Department of Corrections to please look into Patrick Swiney receiving the evaluation and treatment from the free world cardiovascular surgeon as requested back in April. Patrick has already suffered three heart attacks. This alone makes him vulnerable, and puts him in a crisis situation. I am sure you do not want a death on your hands that could have been prevented, especially one where so many people are watching the outcome. I would greatly appreciate your looking into this matter. Thank you so much and may God continue to lead and guide you, in all that you do.
Roberta Franklin
Director of Family Members of People Incarcerated
Soros Justice Fellow
334-220-4670
334-834-9592
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